J. Farrell MacDonald

J. Farrell MacDonald

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Farrell MacDonald (June 6, 1875 – August 2, 1952) was an American character actor and director. He played supporting roles and occasional leads. He appeared in over 325 films over a 41-year career from 1911 to 1951, and directed forty-four silent films from 1912 to 1917. MacDonald was the principal director of L. Frank Baum's Oz Film Manufacturing Company, and he can frequently be seen in the films of Frank Capra, Preston Sturges and, especially, John Ford. Early in his career, MacDonald was a singer in minstrel shows, and he toured the United States extensively for two years with stage productions. He made his first silent film in 1911, a dramatic short entitled The Scarlett Letter made by Carl Laemmle's Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP), the forerunner of Universal Pictures,. He continued to act in numerous films each year from that time on, and by 1912 he was directing them as well. The first film he directed was The Worth of a Man, another dramatic short, again for IMP, and he was to direct 43 more films until his last in 1917, Over the Fence, which he co-directed with Harold Lloyd. MacDonald had crossed paths with Lloyd several years earlier, when Lloyd was an extra and MacDonald had given him much-needed work – and he did the same with Hal Roach, both of whom appearing in small roles in The Patchwork Girl of Oz, which MacDonald directed in 1914. When Roach set up his own studio, with Lloyd as his principal attraction, he hired MacDonald to direct. By 1918, MacDonald, who was to become one of the most beloved character men in Hollywood, had given up directing and was acting full-time, predominantly in Westerns and Irish comedies. He first worked under director John Ford in 1919's A Fight for Love. In all, Ford would use MacDonald on twenty-five films between 1919 and 1950. With a voice that matched his personality, MacDonald made the transition to sound films easily, with no noticeable drop in his acting output – if anything, it went up. In 1931, for instance, MacDonald appeared in 14 films – among them the first version of The Maltese Falcon, in which he played "Detective Tom Polhaus" – and in 22 of them in 1932. Although he played laborers, policemen, military men and priests, among many other characters, his roles were usually a cut above a "bit part". His characters usually had names, and he was most often credited for his performances. A highlight of this period was his performance as the hobo "Mr. Tramp" in Our Little Girl with Shirley Temple (1935). In the 1940s, MacDonald was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in seven films written and directed by Sturges. MacDonald appeared in Sullivan's Travels, The Palm Beach Story, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, The Great Moment, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock, Unfaithfully Yours and The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend, Sturges' last American film. Earlier, MacDonald had also appeared in The Power and the Glory, which Sturges wrote. His work on Sturges' films was generally uncredited. He was notable in 1946 in John Ford's My Darling Clementine in which he played "Mac," the bartender in the town saloon. MacDonald also had uncredited roles in It's a Wonderful Life and Here Comes The Groom.
Known For: Acting
Birthday: 1875-06-05
Place of Birth: Waterbury, Connecticut, USA
Also Known As: Joseph Farrell MacDonald, John Farrell MacDonald, Farrell Macdonald, J. Farrell McDonald, J.F. McDonald

Movies List of J. Farrell MacDonald

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It's a Wonderful Life

1946 Movie
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My Darling Clementine

1946 Movie
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Topper

1937 Movie
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Stormy

1935 Movie
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The Wallop

1921 Movie
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The Palm Beach Story

1942 Movie
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Panhandle

1948 Movie
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3 Bad Men

1926 Movie
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This Sporting Age

1932 Movie
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The Freeze-Out

1921 Movie
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The Maltese Falcon

1931 Movie
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Woman on the Run

1950 Movie
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The Living Ghost

1942 Movie
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No Man of Her Own

1932 Movie
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Johnny Angel

1945 Movie
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Bullet Proof

1920 Movie
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Over the Border

1922 Movie
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$5,000 Reward

1918 Movie
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Thunder in the Valley

1947 Movie
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The Ape Man

1943 Movie
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Drifting

1923 Movie
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Steady Company

1932 Movie
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Quicksands

1923 Movie
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Racing Hearts

1923 Movie
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Bowery at Midnight

1942 Movie
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Reap the Wild Wind

1942 Movie
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Let Women Alone

1925 Movie
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A Trip to Chinatown

1926 Movie
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Barefoot Boy

1938 Movie
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The Crime Doctor

1934 Movie
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Riding with Death

1921 Movie
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Hostile Country

1950 Movie
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The Iron Horse

1924 Movie
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The Stolen Jools

1931 Movie
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Harrigan's Kid

1943 Movie
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The Walls of Jericho

1948 Movie
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Desperate Youth

1921 Movie
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You're My Everything

1949 Movie
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The Thirteenth Guest

1932 Movie
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The Working Man

1933 Movie
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The Phantom Express

1932 Movie
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Under Eighteen

1932 Movie
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Riffraff

1936 Movie
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Manslaughter

1922 Movie
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In Old Cheyenne

1941 Movie
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Full Confession

1939 Movie
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I Loved a Woman

1933 Movie
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Paid to Love

1927 Movie
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Masquerade

1929 Movie
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Sky High

1922 Movie
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Zenobia

1939 Movie
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The Last Alarm

1940 Movie
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Fury at Furnace Creek

1948 Movie
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The Easiest Way

1931 Movie
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Swellhead

1935 Movie
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Come On, Rangers

1938 Movie
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Hotel Continental

1932 Movie
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Phantom Killer

1942 Movie
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Scandal for Sale

1932 Movie
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Discarded Lovers

1932 Movie
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Peg o' My Heart

1933 Movie
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The Brass Bowl

1924 Movie
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Hearts of Humanity

1932 Movie
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Exclusive Story

1936 Movie
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Murder on the Campus

1933 Movie
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The Healer

1935 Movie
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East Side, West Side

1927 Movie
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Danger Ahead

1935 Movie
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Shadows of the Orient

1935 Movie
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Lightnin'

1925 Movie
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4 Devils

1928 Movie
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The Squaw Man

1931 Movie
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Waterfront Lady

1935 Movie
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The Truth About Youth

1930 Movie
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Romance in Manhattan

1935 Movie
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Riley the Cop

1928 Movie
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Cradle Snatchers

1927 Movie
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The Millionaire

1931 Movie
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Probation

1932 Movie
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I Take This Oath

1940 Movie
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The Best Man Wins

1935 Movie
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Man of Two Worlds

1934 Movie
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The Hit Parade

1937 Movie
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Flying Fists

1937 Movie
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The Signal Tower

1924 Movie
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Sporting Blood

1931 Movie
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Keeper of the Bees

1947 Movie
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Submarine Patrol

1938 Movie
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Other Men's Women

1931 Movie
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River's End

1930 Movie
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Laughing at Life

1933 Movie
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White Banners

1938 Movie
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Smoky

1946 Movie
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Private Snuffy Smith

1942 Movie
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Ankles Preferred

1927 Movie
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Hitch Hike Lady

1935 Movie
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Beggar's Holiday

1934 Movie
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Gang Bullets

1938 Movie
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Let 'em Have It

1935 Movie
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The Crowd Roars

1938 Movie
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The Shamrock Handicap

1926 Movie
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Men Without Women

1930 Movie
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The Painted Desert

1931 Movie
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Conspiracy

1939 Movie
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Myrt and Marge

1933 Movie
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Men Are Such Fools

1932 Movie
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Kentucky Pride

1925 Movie
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Mysterious Crossing

1936 Movie
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One Thrilling Night

1942 Movie
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Mademoiselle Midnight

1924 Movie
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The Racing Strain

1932 Movie
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Our Little Girl

1935 Movie
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Slave Ship

1937 Movie
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The First Year

1926 Movie
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Come on Over

1922 Movie
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None But the Brave

1928 Movie
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Whispering Smith

1948 Movie
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There Goes My Heart

1938 Movie
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My Dear Miss Aldrich

1937 Movie
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Week-End Marriage

1932 Movie
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County Fair

1937 Movie
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Greenwich Village

1944 Movie
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Maybe It's Love

1935 Movie
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The Young Rajah

1922 Movie
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Northern Frontier

1935 Movie
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East Side of Heaven

1939 Movie
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They Shall Have Music

1939 Movie
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Sitting Pretty

1948 Movie
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Coast Guard

1939 Movie
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Square Shooter

1935 Movie
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Under Secret Orders

1933 Movie
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Western Luck

1924 Movie
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Star of Midnight

1935 Movie
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The Iron Master

1933 Movie
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Stagecoach War

1940 Movie
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Christmas Eve

1947 Movie
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Those Who Dare

1924 Movie
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Untamed

1940 Movie
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Bringing Up Father

1928 Movie
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My Old Kentucky Home

1938 Movie
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Maid of Salem

1937 Movie
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The Great Lie

1941 Movie
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The Scarlet Letter

1911 Movie
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Front Page Woman

1935 Movie
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The Daltons' Women

1950 Movie
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The Game That Kills

1937 Movie
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Me and My Gal

1932 Movie
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The Last Express

1938 Movie
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Numbered Woman

1938 Movie
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Little Orphan Annie

1938 Movie
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South Sea Rose

1929 Movie
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Law of the Timber

1941 Movie
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Tiger Fangs

1943 Movie
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Once to Every Woman

1934 Movie
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Dark Command

1940 Movie
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The Irish in Us

1935 Movie
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Trailin'

1921 Movie
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Texas Masquerade

1944 Movie
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Fallen Angel

1945 Movie
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Here Comes the Groom

1951 Movie
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Slim

1937 Movie
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The Dream

1911 Movie
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If You Knew Susie

1948 Movie
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The Arizonian

1935 Movie
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The Brat

1931 Movie
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Knights of the Range

1940 Movie
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While Paris Sleeps

1923 Movie
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Pony Express Days

1940 Movie
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Happy Days

1929 Movie
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Friendly Neighbors

1940 Movie
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Goodbye, Weeds

1946 Movie
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Meet John Doe

1941 Movie
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Roped

1919 Movie
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The Dixie Merchant

1926 Movie
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Too Young to Marry

1931 Movie
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Web of Danger

1947 Movie
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Masked Emotions

1929 Movie
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Madame Racketeer

1932 Movie
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The Fighting Heart

1925 Movie
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Strong Boy

1929 Movie
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Thank You

1925 Movie
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A Fight For Love

1919 Movie
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Riders of Vengeance

1919 Movie
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The Dalton Gang

1949 Movie
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A Sporting Chance

1919 Movie
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Song o' My Heart

1930 Movie
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The Hurricane Express

1932 Movie
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The Lighthouse Keeper

1911 Movie
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Rags

1915 Movie
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'Tween Two Loves

1911 Movie
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A Timely Repentance

1912 Movie
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Florida Special

1936 Movie
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Roaring Timber

1937 Movie
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The Lucky Horseshoe

1925 Movie
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The Ghost Breaker

1922 Movie
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The Crosby Case

1934 Movie
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Dakota Lil

1950 Movie
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Parnell

1937 Movie
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Marked Men

1919 Movie
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The Painted Angel

1929 Movie
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Woman Hungry

1931 Movie
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Fighting Youth

1935 Movie
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70,000 Witnesses

1932 Movie
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Courage of the West

1937 Movie
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Action

1921 Movie
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True to Life

1943 Movie
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Joe Palooka, Champ

1946 Movie
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State Police

1938 Movie
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Abie's Irish Rose

1928 Movie
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The Family Upstairs

1926 Movie
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Stranger in Town

1931 Movie
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Hangover Square

1945 Movie
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Show Boat

1936 Movie
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Broadway Limited

1941 Movie
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The Bonded Woman

1922 Movie
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Hitchin' Posts

1920 Movie
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Prairie Law

1940 Movie
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In Old Arizona

1928 Movie
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Extortion

1938 Movie
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Touchdown!

1931 Movie
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Mickey the Kid

1939 Movie
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The Great Barrier

1937 Movie
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Shep Comes Home

1948 Movie
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Pillow of Death

1945 Movie
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The Great Moment

1944 Movie
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The Path She Chose

1920 Movie
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Trouble Preferred

1948 Movie
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The Country Beyond

1926 Movie